World Court Review

World Court is a great old arcade PCB. Although visually showing its age, it is a thoroughly enjoyable tennis game. At first it is a struggle but with practice, particularly against the robot opponents, your game will soon improve. Where this game excels is in the control you have over your shots. Where the ball goes is a direct result of the player's position, the relationship between the racket head and ball and the timing of the shot. Yes you can hit the ball by just pressing one of the two fire buttons but to get a shot with the desired direction and power will require all those factors to be considered and applied. They are all interdependent too, so making an effort to be in the right position is useless if you swing too early or two late. Swinging early is vital to get the ball travelling at more acute angles to achieve some glorious passing shots.


The game uses two fire buttons, one for a lighter shot/lob and another for more powerful shots. Lobs and smashes are both possible, with the latter requiring excellent timing. (This is soon learnt by playing the yellow robot!) Serving too is brilliantly handled with the ability to serve hard and accurate shots with a high degree of consistency. It's even possible with some players to dive for shots at the net. Better still you'll soon learn that the dive can be contrived to make the return even more difficult! There are both male and female players all which play slightly differently. I've found that the number 4 and 5 men provide excellent players. Three different courts also provide for noticeably different playing experiences. The game offers both singles and doubles, with two humans teaming up against two computer opponents.